<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="https://community.element14.com/cfs-file/__key/system/syndication/rss.xsl" media="screen"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"><channel><title>Do You Use Ultra-Low Power Sensors to Extend Battery Life?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life</link><description /><dc:language>en-US</dc:language><generator>Telligent Community 12</generator><item><title>Do You Use Ultra-Low Power Sensors to Extend Battery Life?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life</link><pubDate>Mon, 27 Nov 2023 16:20:38 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>dychen</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Current Revision posted to Documents by dychen on 11/27/2023 4:20:38 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing Power Consumption in Battery-powered Devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and are battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components, including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing the downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy Usage in Wireless Sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product in this regard is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states: active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during their three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCUs) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing Software for Low Power Consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:365px;padding-bottom:8px;padding-right:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" height="404" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" width="365" /&gt; &lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:601px;padding-bottom:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" height="378" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" width="601" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, and CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data is communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:428px;max-width:886px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" height="428" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" width="886" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and logistics require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power Sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-d9c25" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('d9c25'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimate CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitor indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-5313b" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('5313b'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO). The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm is specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-0aadb" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('0aadb'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="background-color:#fafafa;border:1px solid #898989;float:right;margin:12px 5px 12px;padding:8px 12px 18px;width:205px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #898989;color:#007fac;font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:2px;"&gt;Sensors&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Shop our wide variety of&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;Sensors by Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;a class="e14-button e14-button--primary e14-button--large" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?url=%2Fc%2Fsemiconductors-ics%2Fic-sensors%3Fst%3Drenesas%2520sensor&amp;COM=e14c-referral-cmty-handler-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" title="Shop Now" title="Shop Now" target="_blank"&gt;Shop Now&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr style="margin-bottom:6px;margin-top:12px;" /&gt;
&lt;p style="color:#f17c0e;font-size:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don&amp;#39;t forget to &lt;a href="#poll" data-e14adj="t"&gt;take our poll&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low Power Sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;in partnership with&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img loading="lazy" class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank" data-e14adj="t"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;[Please visit the site to access the poll]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank" data-e14adj="t"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: optimization, zmod4510, sensors, air quality, humidity, tech spotlight, industrial sensing, temperature, renesas, low power, iot, power consumption, summer of green technology&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Do You Use Ultra-Low Power Sensors to Extend Battery Life?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/18</link><pubDate>Mon, 10 Apr 2023 21:05:23 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>pchan</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 18 posted to Documents by pchan on 4/10/2023 9:05:23 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and are battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components, including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing the downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product in this regard is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states: active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during their three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCUs) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:365px;padding-bottom:8px;padding-right:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" height="404" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" width="365" /&gt; &lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:601px;padding-bottom:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" height="378" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" width="601" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, and CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data is communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:428px;max-width:886px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" height="428" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" width="886" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and logistics require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-6bb8b" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('6bb8b'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimate CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitor indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-bafc9" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('bafc9'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO). The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm is specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-a24f9" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('a24f9'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="background-color:#fafafa;border:1px solid #898989;float:right;margin:12px 5px 12px;padding:8px 12px 18px;width:205px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #898989;color:#007fac;font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:2px;"&gt;Sensors&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Shop our wide variety of&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;Sensors by Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;a class="e14-button e14-button--primary e14-button--large" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?url=%2Fc%2Fsemiconductors-ics%2Fic-sensors%3Fst%3Drenesas%2520sensor&amp;COM=e14c-referral-cmty-handler-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" title="Shop Now" title="Shop Now" target="_blank"&gt;Shop Now&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr style="margin-bottom:6px;margin-top:12px;" /&gt;
&lt;p style="color:#f17c0e;font-size:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don&amp;#39;t forget to &lt;a href="#poll"&gt;take our poll&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;[Please visit the site to access the poll]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: zmod4510, sensors, tech spotlight, industrial sensing, renesas, iot, summer of green technology&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Do You Use Ultra-Low Power Sensors to Extend Battery Life?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/17</link><pubDate>Sat, 15 Oct 2022 22:13:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>rscasny</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 17 posted to Documents by rscasny on 10/15/2022 10:13:00 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and are battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components, including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing the downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product in this regard is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states: active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during their three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCUs) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:365px;padding-bottom:8px;padding-right:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" height="404" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" width="365" /&gt; &lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:601px;padding-bottom:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" height="378" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" width="601" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, and CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data is communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:428px;max-width:886px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" height="428" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" width="886" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and logistics require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-55689" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('55689'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimate CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitor indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-bd501" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('bd501'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO). The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm is specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-16bbc" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('16bbc'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="background-color:#fafafa;border:1px solid #898989;float:right;margin:12px 5px 12px;padding:8px 12px 18px;width:205px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #898989;color:#007fac;font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:2px;"&gt;Sensors&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Shop our wide variety of&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;Sensors by Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;a class="e14-button e14-button--primary e14-button--large" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?url=%2Fc%2Fsemiconductors-ics%2Fic-sensors%3Fst%3Drenesas%2520sensor&amp;COM=e14c-referral-cmty-handler-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" title="Shop Now" title="Shop Now" target="_blank"&gt;Shop Now&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr style="margin-bottom:6px;margin-top:12px;" /&gt;
&lt;p style="color:#f17c0e;font-size:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don&amp;#39;t forget to &lt;a href="#poll"&gt;take our poll&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;[Please visit the site to access the poll]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: zmod4510, sensors, tech spotlight, industrial sensing, renesas, iot&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Do You Use Ultra-Low Power Sensors to Extend Battery Life?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/16</link><pubDate>Tue, 02 Aug 2022 15:03:37 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>danzima</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 16 posted to Documents by danzima on 8/2/2022 3:03:37 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and are battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components, including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing the downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product in this regard is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states: active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during their three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCUs) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:365px;padding-bottom:8px;padding-right:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" height="404" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" width="365" /&gt; &lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:601px;padding-bottom:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" height="378" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" width="601" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, and CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data is communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:428px;max-width:886px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" height="428" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" width="886" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and logistics require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-cf2db" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('cf2db'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimate CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitor indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-b6258" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('b6258'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO). The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm is specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-de330" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('de330'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="background-color:#fafafa;border:1px solid #898989;float:right;margin:12px 5px 12px;padding:8px 12px 18px;width:205px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #898989;color:#007fac;font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:2px;"&gt;Sensors&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Shop our wide variety of&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;Sensors by Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;a class="e14-button e14-button--primary e14-button--large" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?url=%2Fc%2Fsemiconductors-ics%2Fic-sensors%3Fst%3Drenesas%2520sensor&amp;COM=e14c-referral-cmty-handler-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" title="Shop Now" title="Shop Now" target="_blank"&gt;Shop Now&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr style="margin-bottom:6px;margin-top:12px;" /&gt;
&lt;p style="color:#f17c0e;font-size:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don&amp;#39;t forget to &lt;a href="#poll"&gt;take our poll&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;[Please visit the site to access the poll]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: sensors, tech spotlight, renesas, iot&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Do You Use Ultra-Low Power Sensors to Extend Battery Life?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/15</link><pubDate>Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:57:52 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>danzima</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 15 posted to Documents by danzima on 8/2/2022 2:57:52 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and are battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components, including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing the downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product in this regard is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events include:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states: active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during their three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCUs) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:365px;padding-bottom:8px;padding-right:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" height="404" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" width="365" /&gt; &lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:601px;padding-bottom:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" height="378" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" width="601" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:428px;max-width:886px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" height="428" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" width="886" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-0f0cb" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('0f0cb'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-3d0b3" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('3d0b3'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-5ba79" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('5ba79'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="background-color:#fafafa;border:1px solid #898989;float:right;margin:12px 5px 12px;padding:8px 12px 18px;width:205px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #898989;color:#007fac;font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:2px;"&gt;Sensors&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Shop our wide variety of&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;Sensors by Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;a class="e14-button e14-button--primary e14-button--large" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?url=%2Fc%2Fsemiconductors-ics%2Fic-sensors%3Fst%3Drenesas%2520sensor&amp;COM=e14c-referral-cmty-handler-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" title="Shop Now" title="Shop Now" target="_blank"&gt;Shop Now&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr style="margin-bottom:6px;margin-top:12px;" /&gt;
&lt;p style="color:#f17c0e;font-size:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don&amp;#39;t forget to &lt;a href="#poll"&gt;take our poll&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;[Please visit the site to access the poll]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: sensors, tech spotlight, renesas, iot&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Do You Use Ultra-Low Power Sensors to Extend Battery Life?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/14</link><pubDate>Mon, 01 Aug 2022 19:03:26 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>dychen</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 14 posted to Documents by dychen on 8/1/2022 7:03:26 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:365px;padding-bottom:8px;padding-right:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" height="404" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" width="365" /&gt; &lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:601px;padding-bottom:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" height="378" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" width="601" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:428px;max-width:886px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" height="428" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" width="886" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-5f15f" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('5f15f'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-37b6b" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('37b6b'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-c9b7a" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('c9b7a'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="background-color:#fafafa;border:1px solid #898989;float:right;margin:12px 5px 12px;padding:8px 12px 18px;width:205px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #898989;color:#007fac;font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:2px;"&gt;Sensors&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Shop our wide variety of&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;Sensors by Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;a class="e14-button e14-button--primary e14-button--large" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?url=%2Fc%2Fsemiconductors-ics%2Fic-sensors%3Fst%3Drenesas%2520sensor&amp;COM=e14c-referral-cmty-handler-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" title="Shop Now" title="Shop Now" target="_blank"&gt;Shop Now&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr style="margin-bottom:6px;margin-top:12px;" /&gt;
&lt;p style="color:#f17c0e;font-size:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don&amp;#39;t forget to &lt;a href="#poll"&gt;take our poll&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;[Please visit the site to access the poll]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: sensors, tech spotlight, renesas, iot&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/13</link><pubDate>Mon, 01 Aug 2022 15:50:07 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>pchan</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 13 posted to Documents by pchan on 8/1/2022 3:50:07 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:365px;padding-bottom:8px;padding-right:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" height="404" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" width="365" /&gt; &lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:601px;padding-bottom:8px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" height="378" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" width="601" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:428px;max-width:886px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" height="428" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" width="886" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-37f56" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('37f56'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-75358" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('75358'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-70428" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('70428'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="background-color:#fafafa;border:1px solid #898989;float:right;margin:12px 5px 12px;padding:8px 12px 18px;width:205px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #898989;color:#007fac;font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:2px;"&gt;Sensors&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Shop our wide variety of&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;Sensors by Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;a class="e14-button e14-button--primary e14-button--large" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?url=%2Fc%2Fsemiconductors-ics%2Fic-sensors%3Fst%3Drenesas%2520sensor&amp;COM=e14c-referral-cmty-handler-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" title="Shop Now" title="Shop Now" target="_blank"&gt;Shop Now&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr style="margin-bottom:6px;margin-top:12px;" /&gt;
&lt;p style="color:#f17c0e;font-size:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don&amp;#39;t forget to &lt;a href="#poll"&gt;take our poll&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;[Please visit the site to access the poll]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: sensors, tech spotlight, renesas, iot&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/12</link><pubDate>Mon, 01 Aug 2022 15:47:47 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>pchan</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 12 posted to Documents by pchan on 8/1/2022 3:47:47 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:365px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" height="404" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" width="365" /&gt; &lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:601px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" height="378" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" width="601" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:409px;max-width:847px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" height="409" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" width="847" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-c9f5b" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('c9f5b'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-d39e3" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('d39e3'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.2em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-b0fe4" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('b0fe4'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="background-color:#fafafa;border:1px solid #898989;float:right;margin:12px 5px 12px;padding:8px 12px 18px;width:205px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #898989;color:#007fac;font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:2px;"&gt;Sensors&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Shop our wide variety of&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;Sensors by Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;a class="e14-button e14-button--primary e14-button--large" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?url=%2Fc%2Fsemiconductors-ics%2Fic-sensors%3Fst%3Drenesas%2520sensor&amp;COM=e14c-referral-cmty-handler-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" title="Shop Now" title="Shop Now" target="_blank"&gt;Shop Now&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr style="margin-bottom:6px;margin-top:12px;" /&gt;
&lt;p style="color:#f17c0e;font-size:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don&amp;#39;t forget to &lt;a href="#poll"&gt;take our poll&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;[Please visit the site to access the poll]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: sensors, tech spotlight, renesas, iot&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/11</link><pubDate>Mon, 01 Aug 2022 15:46:47 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>pchan</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 11 posted to Documents by pchan on 8/1/2022 3:46:47 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:365px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" height="404" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" width="365" /&gt; &lt;img loading="lazy" style="display:inline-block;max-width:601px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" height="378" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" width="601" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:409px;max-width:847px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" height="409" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" width="847" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-ad71f" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('ad71f'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-0bb30" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('0bb30'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.3em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:1.3em;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-83d60" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('83d60'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="background-color:#fafafa;border:1px solid #898989;float:right;margin:12px 5px 12px;padding:8px 12px 18px;width:205px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #898989;color:#007fac;font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:2px;"&gt;Sensors&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Shop our wide variety of&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;Sensors by Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;a class="e14-button e14-button--primary e14-button--large" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?url=%2Fc%2Fsemiconductors-ics%2Fic-sensors%3Fst%3Drenesas%2520sensor&amp;COM=e14c-referral-cmty-handler-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" title="Shop Now" title="Shop Now" target="_blank"&gt;Shop Now&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr style="margin-bottom:6px;margin-top:12px;" /&gt;
&lt;p style="color:#f17c0e;font-size:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don&amp;#39;t forget to &lt;a href="#poll"&gt;take our poll&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;[Please visit the site to access the poll]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: sensors, tech spotlight, renesas, iot&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/10</link><pubDate>Mon, 01 Aug 2022 14:26:22 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>dychen</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 10 posted to Documents by dychen on 8/1/2022 2:26:22 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-15ecc" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('15ecc'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-a86bd" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('a86bd'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-e2548" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('e2548'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="background-color:#fafafa;border:1px solid #898989;float:right;margin:12px 5px 12px;padding:8px 12px 18px;width:205px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #898989;color:#007fac;font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:2px;"&gt;Sensors&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Shop our wide variety of&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;Sensors by Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;a class="e14-button e14-button--primary e14-button--large" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?url=%2Fc%2Fsemiconductors-ics%2Fic-sensors%3Fst%3Drenesas%2520sensor&amp;COM=e14c-referral-cmty-handler-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" title="Shop Now" title="Shop Now" target="_blank"&gt;Shop Now&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr style="margin-bottom:6px;margin-top:12px;" /&gt;
&lt;p style="color:#f17c0e;font-size:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Don&amp;#39;t forget to &lt;a href="#poll"&gt;take our poll&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;[Please visit the site to access the poll]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: sensors, tech spotlight, renesas, iot&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/9</link><pubDate>Sat, 30 Jul 2022 03:24:27 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>dychen</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 9 posted to Documents by dychen on 7/30/2022 3:24:27 AM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-264ca" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('264ca'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-0e515" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('0e515'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-ea9c3" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('ea9c3'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;[Please visit the site to access the poll]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: sensors, tech spotlight, renesas, iot&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/8</link><pubDate>Sat, 30 Jul 2022 03:23:40 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>dychen</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 8 posted to Documents by dychen on 7/30/2022 3:23:40 AM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-4bf43" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('4bf43'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-0ee7e" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('0ee7e'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-9bd5c" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('9bd5c'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;p align="center"&gt;[Please visit the site to access the poll]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: sensors, tech spotlight, renesas, iot&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/7</link><pubDate>Sat, 30 Jul 2022 02:58:09 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>dychen</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 7 posted to Documents by dychen on 7/30/2022 2:58:09 AM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-bd844" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('bd844'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-2bb82" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('2bb82'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-6f735" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('6f735'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="poll"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a name="discussion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div style="font-size: 90%;"&gt;Tags: sensors, tech spotlight, renesas, iot&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/6</link><pubDate>Sat, 30 Jul 2022 02:54:40 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>dychen</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 6 posted to Documents by dychen on 7/30/2022 2:54:40 AM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:191px;max-width:187px;" alt="ZMOD4410" height="191" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product3_4410_TSAug42022.jpg" width="187" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-fa24d" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3869679&amp;nsku=87AJ4890&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('fa24d'));" data-farnell="3869679" data-newark="87AJ4890" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:184px;max-width:188px;" alt="ZMOD4510" height="184" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product5_4510_TSAug42022.jpg" width="188" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-e15f7" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=3773298&amp;nsku=57AJ4576&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('e15f7'));" data-farnell="3773298" data-newark="57AJ4576" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:165px;max-width:220px;" alt="HS3001" height="165" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/product1_3001_TSAug42022.jpg" width="220" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a id="e14-product-link-1e889" data-at-areainteracted="rte-content" data-at-type="click" data-at-link-type="button" href="https://referral.element14.com/OrderCodeView?fsku=2908589&amp;nsku=67AC8511&amp;COM=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;CMP=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors&amp;osetc=e14c-techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-at-label="PRODUCT_POPUP_OPEN"class="e14-embedded e14_shopping-cart-far e14-button" onclick="event.preventDefault();e14.func.displayProduct(e14.meta.user.country, this, 'embedded-link', e14.func.getProductLinkJSON('1e889'));" data-farnell="2908589" data-newark="67AC8511" data-comoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cmpoverride="techspotlight-ultra-low-power-sensors" data-cpc="" data-avnetemea="" data-avnetema="" data-avnetasia="" &gt;Buy Now&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:inherit;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/5</link><pubDate>Sat, 30 Jul 2022 02:46:21 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>dychen</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 5 posted to Documents by dychen on 7/30/2022 2:46:21 AM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2a_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Indoor Air Quality Measurement" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram2b_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:360px;max-width:640px;" alt="IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram3_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:inherit;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/4</link><pubDate>Fri, 29 Jul 2022 20:31:04 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>dychen</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 4 posted to Documents by dychen on 7/29/2022 8:31:04 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img loading="lazy" style="max-height:217px;max-width:470px;" alt="Power Consumption in Battery Powered IoT Sensors" src="/e14/assets/main/2022/TechSpotlight/Renesas/ultralowpower/diagram1_TSAug42022.png" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;PIC&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;PIC&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:inherit;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/3</link><pubDate>Fri, 29 Jul 2022 19:30:50 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>dychen</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 3 posted to Documents by dychen on 7/29/2022 7:30:50 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p style="border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:15px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#poll"&gt;Take the Poll&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="#discussion"&gt;Join our Discussion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div style="float:right;margin-bottom:5px;margin-left:8px;width:160px;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-size:12px;padding-bottom:5px;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;sponsored by&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;img class="nolightbox" alt="logo" src="/e14/assets/main/mfg-group-assets/renesasLogo.png" width="150" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;PIC&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;PIC&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;PIC&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Air Quality Index (AQI)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Level of Concern and Air Quality Condition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;sup&gt;[a]&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 8h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; Concentration 1h average [ppb]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Color Code&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 50&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Good&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 62&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 54&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;0 to 53&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#41c363;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Green&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;51 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Moderate&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;63 to 124&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;55 to 70&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;54 to 100&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#fdb813;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#000000;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Yellow&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 150&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;125 to 164&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;71 to 85&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;101 to 360&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#f17c0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Orange&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;151 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;165 to 204&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;86 to 105&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;361 to 649&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#c31812;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Red&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;201 to 300&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Very Unhealthy&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;205 to 404&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;106 to 200&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;650 to 1249&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#641fb7;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Purple&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;301 to 500&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Hazardous&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;405 to 604&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;-&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;1250 to 2049&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="background-color:#6a1d0e;border:1px solid #dadada;color:#ffffff;padding:6px;text-align:center;"&gt;Maroon&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;table style="border:1px solid #dadada;font-size:12px;margin-bottom:12px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Symbol&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Parameter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conditions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Min&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Max&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;th style="background-color:#f2f2f2;border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Unit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/th&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Outdoor Air Quality&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;21&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Average Power: OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Selective ozone with ultra-low power&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;0.2&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mW&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 1st Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;11&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;13&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;08&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;ACTIVE&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;" rowspan="2"&gt;Supply Current, Active Mode including Heater Current for OAQ 2nd Gen&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 1.8 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;10&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;12&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;At V&lt;sub&gt;DD&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.3 V&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;6&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;8&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;I&lt;sub&gt;SLEEP&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Current during measurement delays&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;Sleep Mode ASIC&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;450&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;----&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td style="border:1px solid #dadada;padding:6px;"&gt;mA&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:inherit;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/2</link><pubDate>Fri, 29 Jul 2022 19:27:25 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>dychen</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 2 posted to Documents by dychen on 7/29/2022 7:27:25 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;PIC&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;br /&gt; Source: eenewsanalog.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;PIC&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;br /&gt; Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;PIC&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;TABLE&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;TABLE&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:inherit;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item><item><title>Ultra-Low Power Sensors in IoT Devices</title><link>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life/revision/1</link><pubDate>Fri, 29 Jul 2022 19:25:49 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:5ac55401-1af2-4097-9ff8-5f8cfe45dd60</guid><dc:creator>dychen</dc:creator><comments>https://community.element14.com/learn/learning-center/the-tech-connection/w/documents/27737/do-you-use-ultra-low-power-sensors-to-extend-battery-life#comments</comments><description>Revision 1 posted to Documents by dychen on 7/29/2022 7:25:49 PM&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reducing power consumption in battery-powered devices&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many devices in IoT-based systems are designed with a small form factor and battery powered. Battery replacement in a commercial infrastructure usually involves the dismantling and refitting of electronic components; including the sensors that form the backbone of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Such efforts consume a substantial amount of time and manpower, as a commercial building network may contain thousands of these devices. This makes energy-efficient, battery-powered, portable sensors, and actuators the most acceptable solution for retrofitting operations. Increasing the battery life of these sensors improves system reliability by reducing downtime caused by a single node running out of battery. This article discusses the energy consumption challenges that IoT devices face and possible solutions, including the use of ultra-low power sensors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy usage in wireless sensors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With the rise of IoT, embedded designers are more than ever focusing their attention and efforts on system energy usage. One example of a purpose-built product is a battery-powered wireless sensor node. The operation of a wireless sensor comprises a series of events, with each event requiring a certain amount of power. These events comprise:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Waking up, measuring the relevant parameters, and processing the data into messages&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Powering up the radio frequency amplifier, transmitting the messages, and powering down the radio frequency power amplifier&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These activities are responsible for high battery power consumption and discharge. Figure 1 illustrates current consumption in a battery-powered wireless sensor during its three main states, active, idle, and sleep.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;PIC&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 1&lt;strong&gt;: &lt;/strong&gt;Power consumption in battery-powered sensors during its three main states&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Source: eene&lt;span style="font-size:inherit;"&gt;wsanalog.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are multiple techniques and design strategies, designed to decrease power consumption and optimize power-saving performance: hardware or software energy optimization, network optimization, and energy harvesting.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Hardware Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Design engineers can choose microcontroller units (MCU) that are designed specifically for low-energy consumption. An MCU, however, isn&amp;rsquo;t the only potential energy hog in an IoT device. Opting for low-power sensors and nodes can also substantially reduce power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Network Optimization&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Choosing a&amp;nbsp;connectivity solution&amp;nbsp;for any IoT device depends heavily on the application&amp;rsquo;s chosen components, the performance of the connected objects, and their energy consumption. IoT applications with low power requirements can make use of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) for long-distance connectivity, while battery-powered IoT devices can use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short to-medium communication ranges. The distance between two nodes, system topology, data rate, and the message size are all factors that influence the transmission time, which in turn impacts power consumption.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Optimizing software for low power consumption&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Programming the device to run in low power modes, rather than active modes, will make a significant difference in conserving battery power. New developments in low power management have introduced a wide range of ultra-low-power sleep modes. Whereas previous devices have only differentiated between run and idle modes, current devices feature more levels of granularity, including standby, doze, sleep, and deep sleep. Applications are programmed to spend as little time as possible in the MCU&amp;rsquo;s active mode. This might mean simplifying calculations, batching operations, or transitioning to an asynchronous and interrupt-driven design.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Applications&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Weather Station Solution&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;PIC&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 2: IoT-based Indoor Air Quality measurement&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This weather station solution supports smart home and agriculture systems where an indoor controller unit aggregates weather data (temperature, humidity, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentration). The weather data is measured by an outdoor unit that is solar powered and features an ultra-low-power MCU. The indoor and outdoor units are connected via BLE, and captured data communicated to the Cloud via Wi-Fi. Renesas&amp;rsquo; ZMOD Digital Gas Sensor family uses embedded artificial intelligence (AI) technology and leverages different Operating Modes, which use time, temperature, and gas signatures that enable unique signals from a highly trained machine learning (ML) system. The outdoor unit is controlled by an ultra-low power RE01 MCU. The indoor unit is controlled by an RX-based 32-bit MCU with added security features that make it suitable for cloud communication.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;IoT Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;PIC&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Figure 3: IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many industries, including agriculture, pharmaceutical, and logistics, require refrigerated storage for their products and ingredients. An IoT-based cold chain monitoring solution allows temperature and humidity to be measured from a remote location, with alerts set up for temperature changes and anomalies, preventing waste and spoilage as ingredients move through the supply chain. The system is controlled by a Renesas RA4W1 32-bit MCU, using Bluetooth LE 5.0 for wireless communications. Sensors include the ZMOD4410 indoor air quality sensor and the HS3001 temperature and humidity sensor.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Low-power sensors from Renesas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4410&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; Indoor Air Quality Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module is designed to detect total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), estimating CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, and monitoring indoor air quality. The sensor communicates via its built-in I2C interface. To reduce power, gas sensors can be operated in various modes, such as continuous temperature operation or duty cycling. The ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality Sensor offers two power modes: Continuous and Low Power. When &amp;ldquo;Continuous&amp;rdquo; is selected, the measurement is performed continuously. When &amp;ldquo;Low Power&amp;rdquo; is selected, measurements are taken in intervals of 5475 ms. The average power consumption in Low Power mode is 0.16mW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality Platform&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ZMOD4510 Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ) Platform is a gas sensor system that can be used in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications. The ZMOD4510 uses machine learning and traditional methods to determine Air Quality Index (AQI), which is based on concentrations of gases in the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO The ZMOD4510 currently has two released operation modes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;TABLE&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 1: Air Quality Index Levels Described by the EPA&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Source: Renesas&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 1 allows a general measurement of Air Quality (AQ), including the non-selective measurement of NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;. The AQI is determined based on the classifications by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels (Table 1).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Operation Mode 2 allows the selective measurement of O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; with a fast sample rate of two seconds. With an average consumption of 0.2mW, power consumption is minimal. The second-generation OAQ algorithm specifically designed to detect ozone, and the cross-sensitivity response to NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; is reported as less than 25 AQI, even at NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; levels up to 200ppb.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;TABLE&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Table 2: Gas Sensor Module Specifications during Operation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;HS3001 Humidity and Temperature Sensor&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renesas&amp;rsquo; HS3001 sensor is a MEMS-based relative humidity and temperature sensor. It features fast measurement response time (typically 6 seconds) with high accuracy. The HS300x is factory-programmed to operate in Sleep Mode. In Sleep Mode, the sensor waits for commands from the controller before taking any measurements. The digital core only performs conversions when it receives a measurement request command (MR); otherwise, it remains powered down. It consumes a minimal amount of power: an average of 1.0&amp;micro;A with one RH+T measurement per second, 8-bit resolution, and a 1.8V supply. Its low power consumption, along with its small form factor (3.0 x 2.4 x 0.8 mm), make it well suited for use in portable, battery-operated devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Summing up: Low power sensors for IoT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Power consumption plays an important role in IoT devices and nearly all embedded devices. Choosing components capable of running at reduced power, including MCUs, power sources, communication protocols, and sensors, diminishes power consumption concerns. Sensors are the primary element of any IoT-based system and should ideally consume minimal power without compromising their static and dynamic characteristics. Renesas offers a variety of sensors that are designed for use in IoT systems and feature low power operation modes that greatly extend the life of battery-powered devices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:inherit;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style="clear:both;"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
</description></item></channel></rss>